Bog Walk to Port Antonio railway
Bog Walk to Port Antonio railway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Bog Walk to Port Antonio railway was a railway in Jamaica built to serve the banana, cacao, citrus and coconut districts of St Catherine, St Mary and Portland.[1]
Construction, operation and closure
[edit]The railway operated from 1896 to 1978. It was temporarily closed from 1975 to 1977.[2] The line was 54 miles (87 km) long.[3]
Gradients
[edit]The ruling gradient was 1 in 63 with the line climbing approximately 550 feet (170 m) in 18 miles (29 km) (average gradient 1 in 173) from Bog Walk (approximately 250 feet (76 m)) to its summit at Highgate (approximately 800 feet (240 m)) then descending approximately 750 feet (230 m) in just 9 miles (14 km) (average gradient 1 in 63) to the Wag Water Bridge (just above sea level) and continuing for another 27 miles (43 km) more or less on the level and along the coast to Port Antonio.[4]
Stations and Halts
[edit]There were 13 stations and 15 halts:[4]
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Tunnels
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Rear_of_a_train_entering_a_tunel_near_Troja%2C_St_Catherine%2C_Jamaica_c1896.png/220px-Rear_of_a_train_entering_a_tunel_near_Troja%2C_St_Catherine%2C_Jamaica_c1896.png)
There were 17 tunnels:[4]
Tunnel | Approximate length |
---|---|
Riversdale | 150 metres (160 yards) |
Harewood | 150 metres (160 yards) |
Darling Spring | 200 metres (220 yards) |
Cromwell Mountain #1 | 75 metres (82 yards) |
Cromwell Mountain #2 | 270 metres (300 yards) |
Cromwell Mountain #3 | 150 metres (160 yards) |
Cromwell Mountain #4 | 100 metres (110 yards) |
Cromwell Mountain #5 | 150 metres (160 yards) |
Cromwell Mountain #6 | 200 metres (220 yards) |
Cromwell Mountain #7 | 175 metres (191 yards) |
Taja | 250 metres (270 yards) |
Flint River | 250 metres (270 yards) |
Richmond | 150 metres (160 yards) |
Rock Hill | 150 metres (160 yards) |
Hope Bay #1 | 225 metres (246 yards) |
Hope Bay #2 | 50 metres (55 yards) |
Hope Bay #3 | 100 metres (110 yards) |
Bridges
[edit]There were ten significant bridges.[4] Approximate bridge lengths[6] are shown in the route diagram to the right.
- B2 & River Doro at Darling Spring/Troja
- Orange River at Richmond
- Wagwater River
- Pencar River[5]
- Dry River[5]
- White River[5]
- Buff Bay River[5]
- Spanish River
- Swift River
- Rio Grande
Bibliography
[edit]- Satchell, Veront M & Sampson, Cezley (2003), The rise and fall of railways in Jamaica 1845-1975, The Journal of Transport History
See also
[edit]Notes and references
[edit]- ^ Satchell & Sampson 2003, p. 6
- ^ Satchell & Sampson 2003, p. 7
- ^ Table 3.5 Mileage for JRC Stations, Halts & Sidings in relation to the Kingston Railway Terminus Archived March 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Annual Transport Statistics Report: Jamaica in Figures 2003-2004, Ministry of Transport and Works, July 2005.
- ^ a b c d UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica Sheets K, L & M c1970.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Google satellite image resolution is at present insufficient to show this station/bridge.
- ^ Bridge lengths were obtained using Wikimapia's GeoTools.